Christmas as it should be
by Arciere
Summary: ONESHOT. SS/HG 'Christmas. Of all the holidays Snape hated most, Christmas was the number one. Now, it wasn’t because he was some grump who ‘bah-humbug-ed’ the Christmas Spirit, because Merlin knew that Snape was very full of Christmas cheer'


**A/N: Ok, this hasn't been beta'd or anything. I was just struck with it, and thought that everyone would enjoy my little present. (So I had to upload it before Christmas, of course!) This isn't related to 'Tear you apart', but I think you will all still love it. So enjoy, and Happy Christmas!**

Christmas as it should be

_Christmas._ Of all the holidays Snape hated most, Christmas was the number one. Now, it wasn't because he was some grump who 'bah-humbug-ed' the Christmas Spirit, because Merlin knew that Snape was very full of Christmas cheer (it was hiding somewhere in those billowing black robes). No, Severus hated the cheapened version that Christmas had become. Instead of being a season of giving, it was a season of taking what you wanted and demanding ridiculous things. And Severus wasn't the type of person who went along with that.

So instead, he barricaded himself in his dungeon and set up for a long night of potions. His creations didn't expect exuberant gifts or romantic mistletoe kisses, which was one of the reasons he preferred his own company to any other when the season came around.

He turned the flame higher, taking the Sleeping Draught from a light simmer to a rolling boil, as a knock sounded. At first he thought he was imagining things, since most everyone would be attending the Christmas Ball Dumbledore had arranged, but the second knock made that impossibility.

"Enter," he called, stirring his potion silently as he waited for the reason to the breech in his concentration.

"Professor?" a tentative voice answered, as a small head poked around the door. Severus looked up to see Ms. Granger's big brown eyes looking at him, questioning if she was welcome or not.

"Well, come on in," he replied, casting a stasis charm before walking around the caldron. "What did you need, Ms. Granger?"

"Oh, nothing Sir." She stepped into the room, her gold dress robes floating around her as she entered, keeping her hands behind her back. He noticed how the fabric clung to her, framing a curvy body that would tempt Merlin. Severus had to shake himself, reminding his errant thoughts that they had no business even trying to claim a spot in his conscious, because that sort of thing between a student and teacher was forbidden, and he was rather fond of his teaching position.

"Then, may I ask why you felt the need to interrupt my work?" He crossed his arms, leaning casually against a bench. Hermione couldn't help but notice his slender forearms, exposed as they were with his shirtsleeves rolled up and out of his way.

"You weren't at the Ball," Hermione reminded him, slowly sauntering forward. She looked up to meet his gaze. "I wanted to give you a present."

Severus arched an eyebrow, curiously wondering what the young woman was up to. He remained leaning against the bench, making her pull her arms forward and reach towards him. In her slender hands, a present wrapped in Slytherin green paper and a silver bow to match rested, waiting for him to take. "Merry Christmas, Professor."

Severus reached for the package instinctively, but paused before opening it. His look was easy to interpret, a silent question of why the Gryfindor would want to present him with something. But he couldn't deny that he was touched by her selfless act.

"I've always thought that you deserved something special for Christmas."

He gave her a half smile, watching as her eyes and mouth lit in an answering one. She was pretty like that, smiling with more than her lips from something so simple. Honestly, standing there, her hands clasped together in front of her as she smiled and waited for him, Severus realized that she wasn't a girl anymore. The Hermione standing in front of him was a young woman, more than just his student.

"Thank you," he said. Curious, he lifted the box and shook it, "there isn't a nasty surprise in here for me, is there?" he asked, smirking at her outraged expression. "I'm teasing, don't get upset."

She resumed smiling. His fingers lifted the edge of the paper, smoothly working the wrapping off without tearing. Hermione knew she should have expected him to be meticulous; he was in all things. She resigned herself to wait, because if she showed how anxious she was, he would only draw it out more.

Severus was enjoying her frustration, but could tell that she was trying to hide it. He wondered what it was that she so wanted him to see. Deciding he'd tortured her enough, he pulled the last bit of paper from the box. Setting it on the bench, he took the lid from the box.

Inside was a quill, long and black with a gray tip. He pulled it from the box, running his fingers over the soft feather. Glancing up at her, he waited for her to explain.

"It's a hawk feather, I found it near the Forbidden Forest. I charmed it so that it would check your student's essays for you, but it can also check spelling, grammar, and punctuation in your own writing. And I attempted a spell so that it would take notes for you too, almost like a quick-notes quill, except this version would be more detailed and accurate. I wasn't able to test it yet, though."

Severus' eyes were dark with some emotion, although Hermione wasn't sure which. She felt like she needed to continue, worried that he didn't like it. "I know that you don't like mistakes, and that you take the time to correct them, so this would help you, especially with student work. And I know that you don't have anyone to take notes for you-"

"You don't have to keep explaining your gift to me, Ms. Granger." Severus cut in, stopping her rambling. "It's a very thoughtful gift. Thank you."

"I'm glad that you like it," she replied, the smile returning to her eyes.

"Very much, in fact, I think I might test it now. I was thinking about working on an alteration of the Sleeping Draught, and perhaps it would be good to test its note-taking abilities." He set the quill onto some parchment he had beside him on the bench. As he started turning to his work, he looked over his shoulder. He could see the curiosity shining in her doe eyes, and smiled before continuing. "If you would like, you can stay with me, or you may go back to the ball, Ms. Granger."

"You may call me Hermione, Professor, and I would rather stay, if you don't mind."

"Not at all, Hermione," he returned, gesturing for her to join him. She walked to him, holding her dress up to keep from stepping on the golden fabric.

"Here," he said, offering her an apron to keep her dress from getting ruined.

"Thank you." She was still smiling at him.

"Do you like Christmas music, Hermione?" he asked her, as he tied the back of the apron for her.

"Yes, I've always loved anything to do with Christmas."

"So have I," he answered. Pointing his wand, he murmured a spell that transfigured a bench into a piano, and another swish and flick had it playing "O Holy Night". He smiled as Hermione started humming along with her sweet soprano. He joined her, his baritone matching with hers to create a beautiful harmony.

If all Christmases could be like this one, then Severus thought he might just have to rethink its placement in his hate category for holidays. And if Hermione decided to be a part of the rest of his Christmases, they were definitely banned from the naughty list.

(Unless it was a sexy kind of naughty, and that was a totally different story altogether.)

**A/N: So, how did everyone like it? (Tell my by pressing that little review button down there!) I know I still need to look it over and check it, but it was just a short plotbunny that wouldn't rest, and now here it is. So, again, Happy Christmas!**

**-Arciere**


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